Recording consent
Recording a call in Massachusetts
Whether you can legally record a debt collector's call in Massachusetts, and the safer way to document one. Last reviewed August 7, 2026.
Can you record a phone call in Massachusetts?
No — not unless everyone on the call agrees.
Massachusetts bans secret recording outright. Unlike most states it turns on secrecy rather than consent, which makes it among the strictest in the country.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 272 § 99
This is the exception, not the norm. Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(d)) and most states allow recording when one party consents — and since you're on the call, that party is you. Massachusetts is one of the states that asks for more.
A collector calling you is usually in another state
Which makes it worse, not better. If either end of the call sits in a state that requires everyone's consent, assume the stricter rule governs — and since you're in Massachusetts, that's your end.
Document the call without recording it
Logging a call — who rang, when, and what was said — is lawful in every state and is what actually builds a case. An off-hours call violates 15 U.S.C. § 1692c(a)(1) because of when it happened, and a log captures that perfectly.
A voicemail is different again: the caller chose to leave it, so there's no consent question. Keep those — they preserve what was said, which a log can't.
Start logging callsStop the calls
Or let us send the cease & desist for you.
Once the collector receives written notice to stop contacting you, § 1692c(c) requires them to stop. We draft it against your file, print it, and send it certified with tracking — so you have proof of the date they received it.
- Drafted from your logged contacts
- Printed and mailed certified, with tracking
- Delivery date filed to your evidence vault
- You approve the wording before it goes
One-time, no subscription. Logging calls is free — you only pay when a letter goes out.
This is general information, not advice
Collector Audit is not a law firm and this page is not legal advice. See the full state-by-state comparison and our disclaimer.